Cocktail of the Week: A Peppy, Spiked Earl Grey

Most Read

"The two things that I drink regularly are Earl Grey tea and manhattans, preferably with rye. I like to call Michter's the starter rye. It's not super spicy, and it's only about 40 percent, so it doesn't totally chill you, but it's still got great flavor. When you infuse the vermouth with the Earl Grey, it mellows out the strong rye flavors a lot. All you do is take about a half-bottle of sweet vermouth and allow a few bags of Earl Grey to cold-steep for about four hours. We make our own brandy cherries with star anise and cloves, but you could use any sort of brandy cherry really." —Vincent Lee, Lucy Restaurant and Bar at the Bardessono Hotel

Early to Ryes

Ingredients:

2 oz Michter's Rye Whiskey

1 oz Earl Grey infused sweet vermouth

2 dashes Peychaud's bitters

4 dashes Grapefruit bitters

Stir all ingredients and pour over one large king cube. Garnish with brandied cherries.

For Earl Grey vermouth, place 4 Earl Grey tea bags in 500 ml of sweet vermouth, allow to cold steep for four hours, then strain.